Settlement FAQs

was the first settlement in nsw successful

by Duane Lang V Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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For six days King and his men looked for a suitable landing place, until finally, on March 6, 1788, 230 years ago today, the new settlers were able to step ashore. It was the first recorded settlement of Norfolk Island, one that would last until the island was temporarily abandoned about 30 years later.

Full Answer

When was the first settlement in New South Wales?

Under Banks's guidance, he rapidly produced "A Proposal for Establishing a Settlement in New South Wales" (24 August 1783), with a fully developed set of reasons for a colony composed of American Loyalists, Chinese and South Sea Islanders (but not convicts).

Who was the first person to farm in NSW?

First farms. In 1789, James Ruse, a former convict, produced the first successful wheat harvest in NSW. He didn't yield sufficient grain to make any flour for the colony, but he did produce enough seeds for the next crop, which was also successful.

When did the first settlers come to Sydney Cove?

Garden Island. The first free settlers landed at Sydney Cove in 1793 on the Bellona, eight years after the First Fleet first anchored in Sydney Cove. The arrival of these people heralded the dawn of a new era for Sydney that was the beginning of its metamorphisis from a penal colony to a free settlement.

What is Multicultural NSW doing to improve settlement journeys?

Multicultural NSW is creating the state's first Settlement Strategy with the aim to improve settlement journeys for individuals and families in NSW. We want to hear from refugees, asylum seekers and people from similar backgrounds living in NSW and the organisations and services that provide support to them.

What was the colony of New South Wales?

Who were the early governors of New South Wales?

What did the New South Wales military do?

What happened to the New South Wales Corps?

What was the role of the governors in the New South Wales government?

What was the first sign of change?

Where did the convicts settle?

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What was the first settlement in NSW?

SydneyThe first settlement, at Sydney, consisted of about 850 convicts and their Marine guards and officers, led by Governor Arthur Phillip. They arrived at Botany Bay in the "First Fleet" of 9 transport ships accompanied by 2 small warships, in January, 1788.

What was the first area of Australia to become a settlement?

On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia.

How significant was the arrival of the First Fleet in NSW?

The arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in January of 1788 marked the beginning of the European colonisation of Australia. The fleet was made up of 11 ships carrying convicts from Britain to Australia.

Who was the first person to settle in Australia?

14 June 1825 – the colony of Van Diemen's Land is established in its own right; its name is officially changed to Tasmania on 1 January 1856. The first settlement was made at Risdon, Tasmania on 11 September 1803 when Lt. John Bowen landed with about 50 settlers, crew, soldiers and convicts.

Who named Australia?

explorer Matthew FlindersIt was the English explorer Matthew Flinders who made the suggestion of the name we use today. He was the first to circumnavigate the continent in 1803, and used the name 'Australia' to describe the continent on a hand drawn map in 1804.

Who were the first free settlers in Australia?

The first free settlers arrived on board the sailing ship Bellona on 16 January 1793. They were a farmer named Thomas Rose, his wife and four children and seven others. These first settlers received free passage, agricultural tools, two years provisions, and free grants of land from the government.

What really happened when the First Fleet arrived?

The First Fleet was constituted by six convict transports, three store ships and two Navy vessels. On arriving in New South Wales, territory then inhabited by Aboriginal Australian groups, they founded a penal colony and initiated the European colonisation of Australia.

Who was the youngest convict on the First Fleet?

John Hudson, described as 'sometimes a chimney sweeper', was the youngest known convict to sail with the First Fleet. Voyaging on board the Friendship to NSW, the boy thief was 13 years old on arrival at Sydney Cove. He was only nine when first sentenced.

What problems did the First Fleet face?

It had poor soil, insufficient freshwater supplies, and was exposed to strong southerly and easterly winds. With all the cargo and 1,400 starving convicts still anchored in Botany Bay, Phillip and a small party, including Hunter, quickly set off in three boats to find an alternative place to settle.

What if Australia was never Colonised?

Without colonisation, modern technology still would have found its way to our shores just like it has in countries such as Fiji, Solomon Islands & Papua New Guinea etc. Industrialisation & mining however would be nowhere near the levels that we see today and we would be better off for it.

How old is Australia?

Australia is 117 years old.

What were the 19 crimes to be sent to Australia?

The crimes that make up 19 Crimes include:Grand Larceny, theft above the value of one shilling.Petty Larceny, theft under one shilling.Buying or receiving stolen goods, jewels, and plate...Stealing lead, iron, or copper, or buying or receiving.Impersonating an Egyptian.Stealing from furnished lodgings.More items...•

Which ethnic group first settled Australia?

Aboriginal Australians could be the oldest population of humans living outside of Africa, where one theory says they migrated from in boats 70,000 years ago. Australia's first people—known as Aboriginal Australians—have lived on the continent for over 50,000 years.

Where did the First Fleet land?

Botany BayOn May 13, 1787, the “First Fleet” of military leaders, sailors, and convicts set sail from Portsmouth, England, to found the first European colony in Australia, Botany Bay.

Why was Australia used as a settlement by the British?

The usual explanation is that with the American colonies revolting in 1776, Britain had been deprived of its outlet for the criminals that were overfilling its goals, and so Australia was chosen as the new location for its overseas prison.

Why was Port Macquarie chosen as the area of settlement?

Macquarie favoured the site at Port Macquarie as he had been given a favourable report on the area from the Surveyor General, and its distance from Sydney made it ideal as a second place of punishment for convicts of the worst character (1).

First Fleet convicts - State Library of New South Wales

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are kindly advised that this website includes images, sounds and names of people who have passed.. All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified.Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the ...

1788 - Before European Settlement - Parliament of New South Wales

Aboriginal Land From at least 60,000 B.C. the area that was to become New South Wales was inhabited entirely by indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with traditional social, legal organisation and land rights.

What was the population of New South Wales?

The population of New South Wales was at least 100,000 with many tribal, clan and language groups. There were several tribes living in the Sydney region including the Kuringai whose appearance prompted the first Governor, Captain Arthur Phillip, to describe them as "Manly", the description surviving in the name of one of Sydney's best-known beach suburbs.

Who initiated the first act of Parliament?

For hundreds of years Kings and Queens of England were the main ones who initiated Acts of Parliament. The very first English Act of Parliament was the Statute of Merton, passed in 1235, during the reign of Henry III. The Statute of Merton was a law dealing with illegitimacy.

What was the power of the Stuart Kings?

During the seventeenth century in England, the King and the Parliament struggled for supremacy. The Stuart Kings believed in the divine right of Kings to rule, and did everything they could to prevent Parliament from restricting that right.

What was the first evidence of specific agreements being made between King and Barons?

In 1215 the barons were powerful enough to force the Magna Carta upon an unwilling King. The Charter is almost the first evidence of specific agreements being made between King and barons, and shows that the lords were able to force restrictions on the power of the King.

Where did Cook live when he first settled?

In fact, when the first European settlement came, 18 years later, it took place a few kilometres north of Botany Bay, in Sydney Harbour which Cook had not entered.

Where did Cook land?

Cook landed first a little south of Sydney Harbour in April 1770, at Botany Bay - so named by the accompanying Botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, for the huge quantity of new specimens the visit yielded. Banks later helped convince the British Government that Botany Bay would be a suitable site for a convict settlement.

When did Norman feudalism and its system of land tenure start?

When Norman feudalism and its system of land tenure was introduced to England after the conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066 , the Kings, at the pinnacle of the system, had the responsibility of government. Kings were always surrounded by lords and bishops who offered advice on matters of administration and the law.

What is the history of New South Wales?

The history of New South Wales refers to the history of the Australian state of New South Wales and the area's preceding Indigenous and British colonial societies. The Mungo Lake remains indicate occupation of parts of the New South Wales area by Indigenous Australians for at least 40,000 years.

Who was the first British governor to settle in Australia?

The British claim remained theoretical until January 1788, when Arthur Phillip arrived with the First Fleet to found a convict settlement at what is now Sydney. Phillip, as Governor of New South Wales, exercised nominal authority over all of Australia east of the 135th meridian east between the latitudes of 10°37'S and 43°39'S, which included most of New Zealand except for the southern part of South Island.

What was the golden age of the squatters?

The period from 1820 to 1850 is regarded as the golden age of the squatters . 1825 saw the establishment of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Australia's oldest legislative body, as an appointed body to advise the Governor. In the same year trial by jury was introduced, ending the military's judicial power.

What was the name of the first European ship that sailed along the east coast of Australia?

In 1770 Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook, in command of HMS Endeavour, sailed along the east coast of Australia, becoming the first known Europeans to do so. On 19 April 1770, the crew of the Endeavour sighted the east coast of Australia and ten days later landed at a bay in what is now southern Sydney. The ship's naturalist, Sir Joseph Banks, was so impressed by the volume of flora and fauna hitherto unknown to European science, that Cook named the inlet Botany Bay. Cook charted the East coast to its northern extent and, on 22 August, at Possession Island in the Torres Strait, Cook wrote in his journal: "I now once more hoisted English Coulers [sic] and in the Name of His Majesty King George the Third, took possession of the whole Eastern Coast from the above Latitude 38°S down to this place by the name of New South Wales ." This name was already applied to the south west coast of Hudson Bay, Canada, which had been called New South Wales after his native land, by the Welshman Thomas James on 20 August 1631, during a voyage of discovery in search of a Northwest Passage into the South Sea. It was 139 years later that James Cook gave the same name, without explanation, to the east coast of New Holland. Cook and Banks then reported favourably to London on the possibility of establishing a British colony at Botany Bay.

Why was New South Wales named after James Cook?

In one of those peculiarities of history, New South Wales was only officially named and had its boundaries declared in 2001, two hundred and thirty-one years after James Cook first uttered the name in 1770 when taking possession of an area covering most of eastern Australia. The reason why this peculiarity arose relates to the territorial evolution of Australia. The colony of New South Wales was established and named by way of imperial proclamation in 1788 by the then Governor in Chief of New South Wales, the Royal Navy officer Arthur Phillip. At this time, New South Wales was defined (by Britain) as covering approximately half of the Australian continent. New South Wales was further increased in size to around two-thirds of the Australian continent in 1828. All the Australian states and two territories, bar Western Australia, were then created from New South Wales during the 1800s and early 1900s. Each new state and territory, bar the Australian Capital Territory, was created by Britain through letters patent and they were constitutionally connected to Britain. As the new States and the Australian Capital Territory (the Northern Territory was made from South Australia) were created, they steadily reduced the size of New South Wales. At no stage over this period of time, as New South Wales shrunk, was the boundary of New South Wales ever officially defined. The remains of New South Wales were only finally and officially defined in the New South Wales government gazette, by boundary and name, on 24 August 2001 by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. The results of this meant that although New South Wales was the progenitor state of Australia, the text of the gazettal defines New South Wales in terms of its borders with the other states that were created from and after it:

How did New South Wales Labor win the election?

This early experience of government, plus the social base of New South Wales party in the rural areas rather than in the militant industrial working class of the cities, made New South Wales Labor notably more moderate than its counterparts in other states, and this , in turn, made it more successful at winning elections . The growth of the coal, iron, steel and shipbuilding industries gave Labor new "safe" areas in Newcastle and Wollongong, while the mining towns of Broken Hill and the Hunter also became Labor strongholds. As a result of these factors, Labor has ruled New South Wales for 59 of the 96 years since 1910, and every leader of the New South Wales Labor Party except one has become Premier of the state.

Where can I find Aboriginal stone tools?

Examples of Aboriginal stone tools and Aboriginal art (often recording the stories of the Dreamtime religion) can be found throughout New South Wales: even within the metropolis of modern Sydney, as in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

When did New South Wales settle?

He decided upon Port Jackson, the site of modern day Sydney, and the people of the First Fleet established Australia’s first settlement on 26 January 1788 .

What was the significance of Australia in 1820?

By 1820, Australia was beginning to look prosperous and sentiments of Australian patriotism were being expressed at gatherings of ex-convicts. The sense of belonging to a new nation must have been encouraged in 1817 when Governor Macquarie recommended the adoption of the name ‘Australia’ for the entire continent instead of New Holland. By 1847 the convict population of Sydney accounted for only 3.2 percent of the total population.

How many ships were in the first fleet of New South Wales?

The First Fleet, comprising 11 ships and around 1,350 people, was dispatched to the unknown continent – the only information about New South Wales was that from Cook’s voyage of 1770. From these records it was decided the first settlement would be at Botany Bay, and a second settlement would be established at Norfolk Island to provide wood ...

When was the Australian Federation established?

Australian Federation occurred in 1901 and the Commonwealth of Australia was declared in a ceremony in Centennial Park.

What was the first colony to settle in Sydney?

The first area to be settled beyond Sydney and Parramatta was the Nepean/Hawkesbury. (The Nepean and Hawkesbury are in fact the same river, but a section was discovered and named the Nepean by Capt. Watkin Tench in 1789, unaware that it was the upper end of the Hawkesbury which had been explored and named some months before). As the alluvial soils of the district were found to be particularly fertile and the colony at the time had little fertile land suitable for agriculture, the Governor opened up the area for faming as quickly as possible. By 1794, settlers had moved into the Hawkesbury and the township of Green Hills (later named Windsor). The town, which was laid out and renamed Windsor by Gov. Macquarie, became a local centre for the transfer of produce and goods between Sydney and the region.

What were the signs of Sydney's progression from a convict camp to a colonial settlement?

At the time of Macquaries arrival, the signs of Sydney's progression from a convict camp to a colonial settlement were becoming evident. The first free settlers had arrived in 1793 on the Bellona, eight years after the arrival of the First Fleet. These newcomers, the first in a long stream of free settlers to join a growing number of emancipists who were making a new start for themselves, played an ever increasing role in the transformation. A brewery had been established some years earlier in Castlereagh Street which complimented a similar, even earlier business establishment at Kissing Point (Ryde). Three windmills dominated the skyline, one above Farm Cove, the others were to the west on Miller Point beyond Fort Phillip. Brickfields village had become a hive of activity with numerous businesses engaged in the manufacture of pottery, crockery, roofing tiles and bricks. A tannery there supplied the cattle and kangaroo hides used by a factory in Pitt Street in the manufacture of boots and shoes. The Government lumber yard in what is now George Street had been extended to include a forge where iron and steel being imported from England was used in the manufacture of tools and implements. The Rocks area was fast becoming a re-fitting port for the growing number of British and American sealing and whaling vessels visiting the colony.

What was the purpose of the Sydney gaol?

That is hardly surprising, given that the settlement was after all a gaol for Englands outcasts, and the purpose of a gaol is to be confining . The British Government which orchestrated the project must have been well aware of this as they made sure there wasnt a single horse in the menagerie of animals sent with the First Fleet (Phillip bought four mares and two stallions at the Cape of Good Hope on the journey out; a further ten arrived with the Second Fleet). In fact, it wasnt until the arrival of some free settlers who began importing horses from India that animals were used as a means of transport in Sydney.

How did the emancipists destroy the Aboriginal culture?

The Aborigines were forced to move into other areas or lose their identity altogether by attaching themselves to the fringes of the encroaching culture as it destroyed the environment that had sustained them for centuries.

What was the area of Sydney in 1795?

Apart from the official cross country expeditions, early access to the outlaying areas of Sydney in the vicinity of what are now the Bankstown, Liverpool and Macarthur districts was exclusively by boat up the George River, which rises near Appin. The area was opened up to farming in consequence to explorers Matthew Flinders and George Bass navigating the river in 1795. After sailing to beyond where Liverpool now stands, the pair returned with glowing reports of the area as potential farming land and of the navigational possibilities of the river. This led to land being granted between 1798 and 1805 on the alluvial flats on a bend in the river that is now Moorebank and Chipping Norton. By the turn of the Century, transportation of local produce by river had led to the development of a settlement at the furtherest navigable point of the river for coastal trading vessels. When Gov. Macquarie first journeyed to the newly settled district upon his arrival in NSW, he was so impressed by the settlements potential as a regional centre, he laid out a town there and named it Liverpool.

Where was the bridge in Darling Harbour?

According to Peron's map, a bridge also existed over a creek which flowed into Darling Harbour on its Western side. Located in the vicinity of the overpass taking the Western Distributor over Pyrmont Street, the path which crossed the creek at the bridge provided access to the farm of Surgeon John Harris and followed the line of Harris Street. Another bridge took Parramatta Road (then Parramatta Street) over Black Wattle Swamp Creek. Present day Blackwattle Lane follows the creeks course. Perons map also shows a bridge had been built to take a road over a creek which followed the line of the Domain Ridge and emptied into Woolloomooloo Bay. The road was to become William Street. The bridge, which was located in the vicinity of the intersection of Yurong and William Streets, is recalled in the name of Stream Street. The latter follows the path of a small section of the water course which rose in the hills of East Sydney near Liverpool Street.

Where was the first boat built in Sydney?

By October 1788, the first boat built in the colony was launched at Campbells Cove. Named The Rose Hill Packet but affectionately known as The Lump, it was a flat-bottomed barge designed to ply the Parramatta River between the two settlements. On its maiden voyage, it returned from Rose Hill with the areas first harvest, amounting to some 200 bushels of wheat, 35 bushels of barley, and a quantity of maize. Many a boat would be built on the shores of Campbells Cove until well into the 19th century when Balmain, Woolwich and Cockatoo Island became the centres for boatbuilding activity on Sydney Harbour.

Who was the first farmer in NSW?

First farms. In 1789, James Ruse , a former convict, produced the first successful wheat harvest in NSW. He didn't yield sufficient grain to make any flour for the colony, but he did produce enough seeds for the next crop, which was also successful. This was such a feat in the food-obsessed colony that Ruse was rewarded for his endeavours ...

What was the purpose of the letter to the New South Wales colonists?

An anonymous letter, written in Parramatta in 1819, described the system of agriculture in New South Wales at the time, and discussed settlers issues with the climate as well as successes and failures experienced with various types of crops and livestock.

When did Johnston return to Australia?

He married, and returned to Australia in 1814.

Why was it beneficial to the colonists to live on and work the land?

These land grants were usually small, and required the grantee to live on and work the land. This was beneficial because it enabled the grantee to sustain himself, his family and his convict workers and perhaps make some profit by selling his produce. It also meant that fewer people needed to be supported by the Government stores.

What was the colony of New South Wales?

The British colony of New South Wales was established in 1788 as a penal colony . After the American War of Independence, Britain, in a time of social upheaval at the beginnings of massive agricultural, industrial and social change, was faced with overcrowded prisons and prison ships and no suitable destination to transport their convicts Lieutenant James Cook's discovery and annexation for Britain of the east coast of Australia in 1770, now aroused new interest. In particular, Sir Jospeh Banks, the influential Botanist who had accompanied Cook on the voyage, strongly supported "Botany Bay" as a site for a new British settlement and convict colony. For this and for related strategic and commercial reasons, the British government decided, to embark on the new settlement project.

Who were the early governors of New South Wales?

The Early Governors of New South Wales. Governor Phillip (1788-92) was succeeded as Governor by Governors John Hunter, 1795-1800, Philip Gidley King, 1800-06, and William Bligh, 1806-08 (the famous Captain Bligh of the "Mutiny on the Bounty"). Until 1824, the military governors of New South Wales were absolute rulers, ...

What did the New South Wales military do?

The officers quickly gained significant land holdings and monopoly control over trade, especially of rum and alcohol imports.

What happened to the New South Wales Corps?

The New South Wales Corps remained in control until 1810 when the British government sent a new Governor (Macquarie) with his own regiment, disbanding the New South Wales Corps.

What was the role of the governors in the New South Wales government?

In New South Wales, the governors had the responsibility of putting into effect the Statute and Common law of England.

What was the first sign of change?

The arrival of the first free settlers, five single men and two families, in 1793 was the first sign of a need for change. The number of free settlers and merchants steadily grew, as did the number of native born people and convicts who had served their time and were now free citizens. And, as the size and importance of the free citizenry grew in relation to that of the convicts and military, so, inevitably, would also grow a demand for democratic change.

Where did the convicts settle?

Finding the area unsuitable for settlement, they actually settled at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson ( or Sydney Harbour as it is better known) on January 26, the date now celebrated nationally as "Australia Day".

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Overview

The history of New South Wales refers to the history of the Australian state of New South Wales and the area's preceding Indigenous and British colonial societies. The Mungo Lake remains indicate occupation of parts of the New South Wales area by Indigenous Australians for at least 40,000 years. The English navigator James Cook became the first European to map the coast in 1770 and a First Fleet of British convicts followed to establish a penal colony at Sydney in 1788.

Ancient history

The first people to occupy the area now known as New South Wales were Aboriginal Australians. Their presence in Australia began around 40,000 to 60,000 years ago with the arrival of the first of their ancestors. Their descendants moved south and, though never large in numbers, occupied all areas of Australia, including the future New South Wales.

Arrival of Europeans

In 1770 Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook, in command of HMS Endeavour, sailed along the east coast of Australia, becoming the first known Europeans to do so. On 19 April 1770, the crew of the Endeavour sighted the east coast of Australia and ten days later landed at a bay in what is now southern Sydney. The ship's naturalist, Sir Joseph Banks, was so impressed by the volume of flora an…

Development of the colony

In October 1795 George Bass and Matthew Flinders, accompanied by William Martin sailed the boat Tom Thumb out of Port Jackson to Botany Bay and explored the Georges River further upstream than had been done previously by the colonists. Their reports on their return led to the settlement of Banks' Town. In March 1796 the same party embarked on a second voyage in a similar smal…

Statehood

By the 1890s, several new factors were drawing the Australian colonies towards political union. The great land boom in Victoria in the 1880s was followed by a prolonged depression, which allowed New South Wales to recover the economic and demographic superiority it had lost in the 1850s. There was a steady rise in imperial sentiment in the 1880s and 1890s, which made the creation of united …

Post World War II

The postwar years, however, saw renewed industrial conflict, culminating in the 1949 coal strike, largely fomented by the Communist Party of Australia, which crippled the state's industry. This contributed to the defeat of the Chifley government at the 1949 elections and the beginning of the long rule at a Federal level of Robert Menzies, a politician from Victoria, of the newly founded Liberal …

Boundary and naming

In one of those peculiarities of history, New South Wales was only officially named and had its boundaries declared in 2001, two hundred and thirty-one years after James Cook first uttered the name in 1770 when taking possession of an area covering most of eastern Australia. The reason why this peculiarity arose relates to the territorial evolution of Australia. The colony of New South Wales was established and named by way of imperial proclamation in 1788 by the then Governor …

See also

• Historical Records of New South Wales
• Convict ships to New South Wales
• Governor of New South Wales
• Historical Records of Australia

Overview

The history of Australia from 1788 to 1850 covers the early British colonial period of Australia's history. This started with the arrival in 1788 of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson in the lands of the Eora Nation, and the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales as part of the British Empire. It further covers the European scientific exploration of the continent and the establishment of the other Australian colonies that make up the modern states of Australia.

Colonisation

The decision to establish a colony in Australia was made by Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. This was taken for two reasons: the ending of transportation of criminals to North America following the American Revolution, as well as the need for a base in the Pacific to counter French expansion. Approximately 50,000 convicts are estimated to have been transported to the …

European exploration

While the actual date of original exploration in Australia is unknown, there is evidence of exploration by William Dampier in 1699, and the First Fleet arrived in 1788, eighteen years after Lt. James Cook surveyed and mapped the entire east coast aboard HM Bark Endeavour in 1770. In October 1795 George Bass and Matthew Flinders, accompanied by William Martin, sailed the boat Tom Thum…

Aboriginal resistance and accommodation

Aboriginal reactions to the arrival of British settlers were varied, but often hostile when the presence of the colonists led to competition over resources, and to the occupation of Aboriginal lands. European diseases decimated Aboriginal populations, and the occupation of land and degradation of food resources sometimes led to starvation. By contrast with New Zealand, no valid treaty wa…

Politics and government

Traditional Aboriginal society had been governed by councils of elders and a corporate decision-making process, but the first European-style governments established after 1788 were autocratic and run by appointed governors—although English law was transplanted into the Australian colonies by virtue of the doctrine of reception, thus notions of the rights and processes established by …

Economy and trade

The instructions provided to the first five governors of New South Wales show that the initial plans for the colony were limited. The settlement was to be a self-sufficient penal colony based on subsistence agriculture. Trade, shipping and ship building were banned in order to keep the convicts isolated and so as not to interfere with the trade monopoly of the British East India Company. There wa…

Religion, education, and culture

Since time immemorial in Australia, Indigenous people had performed the rites and rituals of the animist religion of the Dreamtime. The permanent presence of Christianity in Australia however, came with the arrival of the First Fleet of British convict ships at Sydney in 1788. As a British colony, the predominant Christian denomination was the Church of England, but one tenth of all the convicts wh…

Representations in literature and film

• Marcus Clarke's 1874 novel, For the Term of his Natural Life, and the 1983 television adaptation of the novel.
• Eleanor Dark's 1947 Timeless Land trilogy, which spans the colonisation from 1788 to 1811. The 1980s television drama, The Timeless Land, was based on this trilogy.
• D. Manning Richards. Destiny in Sydney: An epic novel of convicts, Aborigines, and Chinese embroiled in the birth of Sydney, Australia. First book in Sydney series. Washingt…

• Marcus Clarke's 1874 novel, For the Term of his Natural Life, and the 1983 television adaptation of the novel.
• Eleanor Dark's 1947 Timeless Land trilogy, which spans the colonisation from 1788 to 1811. The 1980s television drama, The Timeless Land, was based on this trilogy.
• D. Manning Richards. Destiny in Sydney: An epic novel of convicts, Aborigines, and Chinese embroiled in the birth of Sydney, Australia. First book in Sydney series. Washington DC: Aries Books, 2012. ISBN 9…

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